scott



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W, W. SCOTT. YACHT CANNON.

No Model.)

Patented Nov. 3.1896.

N v Q llm 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. W. SGOTT.- YACHT CANNON.

(No Model.)

No. 570,507. Patented Nov. 3, 1896.

RRIS Farms :0. PHOT UNITED STATES Trice.

PATENT- IVILLIAM \V. SCOTT, OF NEV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAVIGNE & SCOTT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

YACHT-CANNON.

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,507, dated November 3, 1896.

Application filed August 2, 1893.

To (all whom, it may cancer/2 Be it known that I, VILLIAM \V. SCOTT, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Yacht-Cannon, (Case A;) and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a view in side elevation of a cannon constructed in accordance with my i11- vention, the breech-block being shown in its closed position; Fig. 2, a view of the cannon in rear elevation with the breech-block shown in its closed position by full lines and in its open position by broken lines; Fig. 3, a view of the gun in vertical central longitudinal section with the breech-block in its closed position; Fig. 4c, a broken plan view of the breech of the gun, showing the breech-block in its closed position; Fig. 5, a detached broken view of the forward end of the extractor-slide; Fig. 6, a view in rear elevation of one of the modified forms which my improvement may assume; Fig. 7, a broken plan view of the breech of the gun with the breech-block removed; Fig.

8, a detached reverse plan view of the breech-' block.

My invention relates to an improvement in small breech-loading cannon of the type known as yacht-cannon, the object being to produce a simple, safe, and easily-operated gun in which the friction of the breech-block in opening and closing the same is reduced to the minimum, and the binding of the same by corrosion readily overcome.

lVith these ends in view my invention consists in a cannon having certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

' As herein shown, the gun A is constructed in its breech with an open transverse mortise B, having its floor curved and extended below the bore 0 of the gun, which it intersects at a right angle, the inner portion of the floor of the mortise being constructed Serial No. 482,141. (No modelJ with a groove 13, the forward Wall of which coincides with the forward wall of the mortise, while its rear wall B is inclined rearward, so as to cause the groove to taper in width from one end to the other. An elliptical breech-block E is hung in the mortise B upon a suitable pivot F, located above the bore of the gun, but to one side of a vertical line passing centrally through the same. The upper edge of the said block conforms to the curvature of the breech of the gun, while its lower edge conforms to the curvature of the floor of the mortise B thereof, the said lower edge of the block being constructed with a rib E, adapted to fit into the groove 13 before mentioned, and like the same tapering in width from one end to the other. The outer wall of the rib coincides with the outer face thereof, while its inner wall E is inclined rearward to conform to the rearwardly-inclined rear wall B of the groove in the mortise. For convenience of description I may say that the inner end of the groove B of the mortise and the inner end of the .rib E of the breech-block are on the side of the mortise and block nearest to the pivot F, the outer ends of the rib and groove being the ends farthest from the said pivot. It

will now be understood when I say that the groove and rib increase in width from their inner to their outer ends, their outer ends being wider than their inner ends. By pitching the outer wall of the groove in the mortise rearward and correspondingly pitching the inner wall of the rib upon the breechblock the same is crowded forward as it closes, whereby the outer face of the block and the forward wall of the mortise are brought into closer contact to obvious advantage, for the closer the breech-block fits when in its closed position the more effective, because the more solid, and the safer, because the less the danger of the blowing open of the block by the gases of explosion or their escape at the breech without that result.

It will be understood that by hanging the breech-block in the mortise on a pivot located at one side of the center of both the mortise and block the latter will have, as it Were,'an eccentric movement, by virtue of which I facilitate the opening and closing of the block. Thus, supposing the block to be fully open,it will swing nearly into itsclosed position before its inner edge and the face of its rib will be engaged with the bottom of the mortise and groove, respectively, and before the inclined inner wall of the rib engages with the inclined rear wall of the mortise, so that throughout the greater part of the closing movement of the block it is comparatively free. From the moment, however, that the several surfaces mentioned do engage they draw and crowd, so to speak, into closer and closer contact, until the block has been forced home into its completely-closed position,when a very close fit will have been secured for it. On the other hand, supposing the block to be in its fully-closed position, the main effort which must be expended in opening it will be at the start, for after it has been raised a very little the surfaces mentioned will, on account of the eccentric path in which the block moves, be cleared from each other and relieve it, after which it may be readily swung into its fully open position. Therefore by mounting an elliptical block eccentrically, as described, it draws and wedges when being forced into its fully-closed position, and lets go and relieves at the beginning of its opening movement with the advantages stated. Moreover, by hanging the breech-block eccentrically a leverage is obtained for overcoming the binding action of corrosion or the sticking of the block in its closed position from any other cause.

I do not limit myself to constructing the mortise and block to wedge, as described, but that construction I'prefer. The friction developed between the block and mortise when they are so constructed assists in holding the block in place in its closed position against the action of any gas forced backward and tending to throw the breech-block open; but aside from the question of friction the resistance offered by the pivot F by reason of its location nearly over the bore of the gun makes the lifting of the block by the gases of explosion difficult and unlikely. In addition, furthermore, to the resistance of friction and of the pivot F there is the weight of the handle of the block, which tends to maintain the block in its closed position.

I may say here that I am aware that it is old to pivot an elliptical breech-block at a point directly over the bore of the gun for the purpose of utilizing the pivot to resist the effort of the gases of explosion to throw the block open. It is apparent that under that construction the block will move in a path concentric with the floor of the mortise, and that the advantage of the drawing and relieving action secured by the movement of an elliptical block in an eccentric path as under my construction cannot be had. I am also aware that a breech-block having a circular lower edge has been pivoted in a horizontal plane passing centrally through the bore of a gun. A breech-block so hung and so constructed will not draw tight in closing or relieve and let go in opening. By my construction, therefore, I combine the advantages of effective resistance to the gases of explosion tending to force the block open, the formation of a tight joint between the block and mortise when the block is closed, preventing the escape of any gases at the breech of the gun, and the easy manipulation of the block both in opening and closing it.

'The knob B of the breech-block is constructed with a longitudinal bore H, which extends forward through the block and receives the longitudinally-movable firing-hammer I, which carries at its forward end the firing-pin J, A spring K, interposed between the forward end of the said bore and the illner end of the hammer, normally sustains the latter in its open or retracted position. The bore of the knob is intersected by means of a vertical slot L, formed in its under face and receiving the inner end of a firing-lever M, which is hung on a staple M, secured to and depending from the knob. The inner end of the said lever is twice as long as its outer end, and will therefore move twice as fast, its outer end being perforated to receive the firing-cord, which is not shown. The inner end of the said lever engages with a pin N, located in a vertical slot N, formed in the lower face of the outer end of the firing-hammer, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Under the construction described the hammer may be projected with the required force by simply pulling on the firing-cord, on account of the leverage obtained by the construction of the lever. It is not necessary to jerk the cord, as in many yacht-cannon, the danger of breaking the cord in that way being thus avoided. The proportional length of the ends of the lever may of course be varied.

Directly below the bore of the gun the same is constructed with a longitudinal cylindrical chamber 0, receiving the extractor-slide P,

-to the upper edge of which the extractor P is secured. The forward end of the said slide is chambered to receive the extractor-spring P the inner end of which is attached to the slide by means of a transverse pin 9. The forward end of the spring is connected with the gun by means of a screw Q, having two opposite radial wings q g, which take into open slots q, formed at opposite points in the extreme forward end of the slide, which is thus converted, so to speak, into a screwdriver for operating the screw. When the gun, for instance, is assembled, the wings of the screw are entered into the slots of the slide and the slide rotated until the screw has been screwed into the gun, whereby the forward end of the spring is connected therewith. The slide may then be moved longitudinally without disturbing the screw. Under this construction the spring is practically sealed away from the atmosphere and salt water, and its corrosion prevented. The outer end of the slide is provided with a finger-piece R, having a cam-fingerr for its operation.

As shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the breech-block S is hung on a pivot F, located considerably more to one side of the vertical center of the gun than the stud F, before referred to. In this instance the outer end of the block is constructed with a pivoted handle U, having a depending hook U, which enters a notch o, formed in the gun, and acts as a latch for locking the breech-block in its closed position, the handle U operating by its weight to automatically throw the hook into the notch.

I am aware that a cannon having the knob of its breech-block longitudinally chambered to receive a reciprocating firing-hammer and a spring is old, and also that it is old to locate an extractor and a spring for the operation of the same in the breech of agun at a point below the bore thereof, and I do not claim either of those constructions broadly.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A cannon having an open transverse mortise in its breech, an elliptical breech-block hung on a pivot located within the mortise at one side of a vertical line passing through the center of the bore of the gun, and a handle located at the outer end of the block and weighting the same, substantially as described, and whereby the block is caused to draw and tighten in closing and to let go and relieve in opening.

2. A cannon having in its breech an open transverse mortise, the floor of which is constructed with a groove widening from its inner to its outer end, an elliptical breech-block hung in the said mortise on'a stud located at one side of a central line passing through the bore of the gun, and provided upon its lower edge with a rib widening from its inner to its outer end, substantially as set forth, and whereby the breech-block draws and tightens in closing and lets go and relieves in opening, and whereby also it is crowded forward in closing.

3. A cannon having in its breech an open transverse mortise, the floor of which is constructed with a groove, the rear wall whereof is inclined rearward, and an elliptical breechblock pivoted within the mortise on a stud located to one side of a vertical line passing through the center of the bore of the gun, and having its lower edge constructed with a rib, the inner wall of which is pitched rearward in accordance with the rearward pitch of the rear wall of the groove of the mortise, substantially as described.

i. A cannon having the knob of its breechblock longitudinally chambered,a firing-ham mer located in the said chamber, and a firinglever pivotally connected with the knob at a point below its-longitudinal center, so that its inner end is longer than its lower end, and having its said inner end arranged to engage with the hammer for projecting the same inward, and its outer end adapted for the attachment of a firing-cord, substantially as described, and whereby by employing a firinglever and pivoting the same below its longitudinal center, and engaging its longer inner end with the firing-hammer, the impulse of the firing-cord is multiplied on the hammer.

5. A breech-loading cannon having a longitudinal chamber formed in its breech at a point below its bore, an extractor-slide located in the said chamber, longitudinally movable therein, and having a spring-chamber formed in its forward end, an extractor attached to the upper face of the said slide, a spring located in the said spring-chamber, and connected at its rear end with the slide at the bottom of the said spring-chamber, a screw located at the forward end of the said longitudinal chamber, and having the forward end of the spring connected with it, and an operating-piece attached to the outer end of the slide,whereby it is moved outward against the tension of the spring which draws it inward, substantially as described.

6. A breech-loading cannon having a longitudinal chamber formed in its breech below its bore, an extractor-slide located in the said chamber and longitudinally movable therein, an extractor attached to the said slide, an operating-piece attached to the outer end of the slide for moving it longitudinally outward,a spring located in a chamber formed in the forward end of the slide with which the rear end of the spring is connected, and a screw connected with the forward end of the spring, adapted to be screwed into the gun at the forward end of the said chamber, and provided with a wing which is engaged by the slide, by means of which it is turned in and out, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof .I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM; w. SCOTT.

lVitnesses:

FRED. O. EARLE, LILLIAN D. KELSEY. 

